To ensure the safety of patients in healthcare environments, for example psychiatric wards, fixtures and furniture items need to provide a number of different functions. For example, a hand towel dispenser for use in a kitchen, bathroom or toilet should reduce, or prevent entirely, the possibility of a patient attaching a ligature with which they could harm themselves. This applies to all hand towel dispensers in such an environment, which should also perform their usual functions of allowing easy access to hand towels and easy replacement of stock when required.